This invention relates in general to windshield wiper blades and, more specifically, to a windshield wiper blade that is particularly suited for removing accumulations of snow, ice, rain and other material from the windshield of a vehicle.
Heretofore, numerous types of designs for windshield wiper blades have been used in connection with removing snow, ice, rain and other material from windshields of automobile and truck vehicles. The most common type of design previously used is one in which a rubber tip having a relatively small cross-section contacts the windshield along a line so as to scrape snow, ice or water that accumulates on the windshield of the vehicle.
Typically, a vehicle employs two windshield wiper blade assemblies each having rubber tips adapted to scrape snow, ice, water and other material off the front windshield. These scraping blades are attached to a wiper arm on the vehicle and travel in a generally arcuate path. One blade will clean that portion of the window on the driver's side of the vehicle, and the other blade will clean that portion of the window on of the passengers side of the vehicle.
When the wiper blade assemblies are not in use, the wiper blade will remain in a position substantially parallel with the ground upon which the vehicle rests.
When the wiper blades are being operated, they will move upward in generally arcuate paths to a generally vertical position which is substantially perpendicular to the normal or rest position of the windshield wiper blades. As the blades travel through the arcuate path, the blades come to a momentary resting point or sudden stop at such vertical position and then reverses its movement back along the same arcuate path. After a period of use, the snow, ice or water that is scraped from the window tends to accumulate at the momentary resting point of the windshield wiper blade. This accumulation creates a condition commonly known as "banking" in which large amounts of ice or snow accumulate on certain surfaces of the window. This accumulation hampers the effective operation of the windshield wiper blade. If the windshield wiper blades are being used in an exceptionally heavy rain or snow fall, this banking problem can sometimes require the operator of the vehicle to stop the vehicle and exit the vehicle to manually remove the accumulated material from the window surface. Banking is not only undesirable, but can create hazardous driving conditions during heavy snow, ice or rainfall.
Further, conventional wiper blade assemblies are relatively small and lightweight and are constructed so that air will easily pass through portions of the entire assembly. The small lightweight nature of the blades will also hamper the performance of the wiper blade when the blade is being operated in a vehicle travelling at high rates of speed. The small size and permeability of air through the assembly tends to foster a condition known as "hydroplaning" wherein the blade itself will actually lift up or break contact with the window. Of course, when this hydroplaning condition occurs, the effectiveness of the blade is greatly diminished.
The windshield wiper blade of this invention is intended to overcome the deficiencies or prior windshield wiper blade assemblies by providing not only a blade for scraping the windshield of a vehicle, but also a reservoir or storage area in which snow, water and ice can be collected during the operation of the windshield wiper blade. The material collected is then effectively expelled off of the windshield of the vehicle in order to prevent the undesireable condition of "banking" or accumulation of snow or ice on the windshield of a vehicle during the operation of windshield wiper blades.
The blade of the instant invention is intended to be operated in connection with conventional windshield wiper blade mounting systems. A variety of scraping tips can effectively be used in connection with the present invention.